Going downhill

Depends on if you have an engine retarder. Most likely 3rd would be right but it really depends on how much weight and the steepness of the decline. The object obviously is to get down a hill without over heating your brakes. If you are in third and you over rev the engine you may need to come as low as 2nd so you don't over use the brakes.

If you come down in 4th and use up all your breaks before getting to the bottom and you need to stop you might wind up SOL.

I'm not sure what the rpm range is on what you are driving but you definitely don't want to be close to maxing it out coming down a hill as this is real bad for the motor. In my tractor I cruise at 1300-1500. I don't let the motor run over 1900 coming down a hill. 2100-2200 is the top end of the rpm's but I won't run it up there because things tend to break down from over revving. If you don't have an engine retarder (jake brake) most likely you should be traveling half as fast as the rest of the traffic on a long down hill.

Smoke coming from the motor at a lower rpm sounds more like engine trouble than a poor choice on transmition speed. Are you sure it wasn't your brakes over heating? They can get hot real quick out there in CA if you are coming down in the wrong gear. What was your water temperature? If you have electric fans it's not an issue but in tractors the speed of the fan correlates to engine speed. After a long pull by having the engine running at a cruising rpm it better circulates the air.

I'm not sure what vehicle you're driving. Maybe the exhaust is underneath and you mistook the brake smoke for exhaust? Is it a tow truck, Fire Truck boom truck?

Brake smoke is a thick white. If you have thick white smoke from the brakes you are nearly to the point of the brakes catching fire. I can tell you this from experience. Once those brakes light up. it takes more than one fire extingisher to put out lol.

Hope this was helpful.

 

Does your truck have a JAKE BREAK?

If so 3rd sounds right as far as I can tell (not an auto matic guy)

Here are some basics to know

1. Do not shift going down hill , get in the gear you want to be in before you decend
2. If you have a JAKE then depending on type if you have a 3 stage I would be in stage 2 or 3 depending on the GRADE of the drop. stage 1 is all but useless except on flat terrain ..
3. Do NOT RIDE THE BRAKES
4. STAB brake method hold contsatnt pressure for about 4-6 seconds try to drop truck to right at or below the posted limit for the GRADE for trucks. Release and keep JAKE ON this will help you maintain a good speed.
5. If you see a approaching curve ahaed it is best to be at least 5mph below posted limit before entering the curve using you STAB break method

Hope this helps

If you are concerned with your break preformance before you decend check your breaks GOAL (get out and look) make sure they are not glazed over and chambers seem to be working proberly

Check to see if they are in adjustment


I would check for glaze or heat after the decend depending on weight towing and GRADE %

ky24

 

Use this same method in terrain? Besides jake on right? Say the roads is covered in snow, an i pulled up the hill in 8th gear. What do i need to do as going down?

 

The whole object of going slow down a grade is to have enough brakes to stop if you have to. I've pulled alot of heavy loads 100,000+ down grades and have yet to have any problems. Every grade is different but I'd say on an average with the weight I carried 25mph would be top speed. But when I've had the regular 80K I wouldn't go much beyond 35mph until I knew the truck.

I've had trucks with an engine brake and some without. The ideal downgrade is not to touch the brakes or as little as possible. But if you have to rely solely on your brakes I would recommend a speed slow enough to stop if you had to and let the truck drift up to that speed then apply brake pressure to slow 5mph below that speed and then let it drift again up to your set speed.

You'll have to find the speed on your own. Sorry but every truck is different and all any driver can say is a general guess. But here's a couple of tips that you will want to use. Crack your windows down about 2" so you can smell. Hot brakes will smell like a burning clutch. Watch for smoke, even at night you can see smoke in your tail lights most of the time. Listen to your CB and turn off any other radio. You'll want any info another driver can give you. If you do get into trouble and the brakes are very hot do not stop if you're on level ground. The heat can cause the tires to catch fire and if that happens you might as well get the hot dogs out because you won't put that fire out. If you're on the grade and you've got some hill left stop the best way you can. Whatever you do, do not pass a truck ramp with a runaway truck. The ticket for the ramp and the towing is much better than doing time in jail or worse being dead.


Don't let any driver push you. You stay in your comfort zone. I've had drivers complain about me not knowing how much weight I had on and more than once I'd see them at the bottom with smoke pouring out from the trailer. After a few times you'll know exactly how to go down the grades in your truck. Just remember if you've got to stop for an accident or rock side or any other reasons you'll have the brakes to do it.

And take all grades seriously. Good luck.

 

If u pull it in 8th I would drop 1 on the down hill side ..
So desend in 7th depending on grade it a long defend or steep grade might want to drop 2
Stay in the gear you decide to desend in for if you try to swift u may get boxed out and be in a free coast
U don't want that be in your desensing gear at hill creast..

Snow, rain, ice do not jake truck could cause you to skid especially if u are empty...

Hope this helps

Ky24

 

If you got any more questions just ask there are plenty of us on here and we want to have safe counter parts out on the road with us so I am glad you guys ask

Trail and error is not good with 80,000 pounds

Good luck , be safe

My truck has KY24 on it if you see me out there give me a shout

I drive tank truck so you could call me a
Tanker Yanker

 

Good place to start is around half the posted speed limit, rpms between middle of the power band and max rpms. Say the speed limit is 60 then start down at 30 let it run up to 35 hard short brake back to 30 let off and let it run back to 35 just keep repeating. They call this brake snubbing, works for me pulling 100k down grades through Washington, Oregon and British Columbia